


Have Faith, Child of the Moon

by eyeslikeonyx



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Blood and Violence, Doctors & Physicians, Families of Choice, M/M, Mystery, Old Medical Practices, Past Childhood Bullying, Slow Burn, Wolves, wolf hunters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 20:39:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16394693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyeslikeonyx/pseuds/eyeslikeonyx
Summary: A lot of things would be different if Sidney wasn’t a wolf. Maybe not easier, per se, but most certainly different.





	1. Have Faith, Child of the Moon

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea how I finished this before midnight, but I did it.
> 
> Thank you to [Zed](https://zhenya71.tumblr.com) for creating amazing [art work](https://zhenya71.dreamwidth.org/404.html) for my story! And for also letting me vent about the struggle of writing this thing. You're amazing!
> 
> Thank you to my beta Emily for proofreading (most of) the story for me at the last possible second.
> 
> Warnings for scenes of bloody violence and medical procedures.
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys this story! Feedback is always welcome!

“Everyone genuinely believes that a wolf attacked Mr. Rutherford last night,” Marc-André Fleury murmurs as he and his friends load fish from the fishing boat to the working wheelbarrows. Fishing season is at its peak in the little Nova Scotia town of Cole Harbour, and the young men are working harder than usual to feed their families and the neighboring towns that live more inland. Jim Rutherford runs the fishing docks in Cole Harbour, and he typically comes to help the boys any way he can, despite his aging limbs not being able to work as well as they used to. They are all feeling the effects of the near loss of their beloved employer.

Kris Letang grunts in reply.

“Could’ve been a bear,” he says unconvincingly, “but no one will know anything until Mr. Rutherford wakes up. For the town’s sake, and for the sake of Sid’s sanity, I hope it was a bear.”

Fleury and Letang know deep down that their hope is futile. They know that the chances of the attacker being a bear are very slim. Mr. Rutherford is the third victim to be mauled in Cole Harbour, and he might not be lucky enough to survive his wounds.

“Hey, Flower, snap out of it! You're losing all the fish!”

Flower snaps away from his thoughts and jerks the net out of the water and hauls it into the wheelbarrow.

“Jesus, you almost lost the haul!”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry.”

Kris sighs sadly and claps his hand on Flower’s shoulder.

“Sid's going to be fine, Flower. He’s tough. And he has us. We just have to hope for the best.” Flower bites his lip and sighs.

“I know, Kris. But you know how he gets.”

 

Sidney Crosby sits at the wooden table with Mario Lemieux, Cole Harbour’s head surgeon and official town doctor, and reads through the notes that he had made during Mr. Rutherford’s long, grueling surgery that ended just hours ago. He hasn’t slept in the past two days, the anxiety of the aftermath of the March moon and the attack on Mr. Rutherford eating away at his ability to eat and sleep. His hazel eyes cross if he stares too long at his handwriting, and all the words on the papers are jumbling together. He knows he needs rest, but there is so much to be done.

The town is on edge as the people anxiously wait to hear of Mr. Rutherford’s condition and what exactly attacked the older businessman. Sidney has to read through these notes just one more time, has to close his eyes and remember every bloody wound that was viciously clawed and bitten into the victim’s skin. He has to make sure that it wasn’t him. He has to be able to take responsibility for anything that he has done or believes to have done. He has to know.

“Sid, are you even listening to me?”

Sidney is startled out of his thoughts and turns to face Mario sitting to his left. The doctor is staring at Sidney with a raised eyebrow and an almost knowing glint in his eyes. Sidney knows he can't be dishonest with his mentor; he has always been a terrible liar. His cheeks heat up.

“Sorry,” he mumbles quietly into his hands. His hands drag down his face slowly as he groans. “I'm just tired. And thinking.”

“Then you should sleep. You’re of no use to me if you keep dozing at the table while reading your surgery notes.”

Sidney's blush darkens as he hands the documents over to Mario.

“Also,” the doctor adds, “I know what you're thinking, and you need to stop with that nonsense while you’re ahead.”

Sidney’s blush spreads to his ears as he fiddles with the thin cords that secure his blood red cloak over his shoulders.

“It’s a valid question to ask,” the young doctor says, “especially since I was stupid enough to not wear my cloak last night. And I woke up not far from where the attack happened. I mean, what if it really was me?”

“Well, you wore it the nights of the other two attacks, right? So you couldn’t have been behind those incidents. We don’t know for sure that you were responsible for what happened to Mr. Rutherford, but I highly doubt it was you.”

“That’s the thing, though: we don’t know. There is no way to identify the wolf by smell since there are no other wolves living here in Cole Harbour. I don’t know what my own scent is so there is no way of knowing if my scent and the scent of the attacker match each other. All we know is that a wolf definitely almost mauled Mr. Rutherford to death last night, but he somehow managed to make it out alive. And we won’t know what or who he saw until he wakes up— _if_ he wakes up.”

Sidney says the last part a little more quietly and fearfully, darting his eyes around to see if anyone is secretly around to hear what he has to say. Mario rests a strong hand on Sidney's shoulder. Sidney looks his fellow doctor in the eye.

Dr. Mario Lemieux is an aging man with salt and pepper hair and a calming smile, but his strength rivals even the youngest and most capable of men in all of Nova Scotia. Many believe that he has been simply blessed with good health. Others, like Sidney and his closest friends living in Cole Harbour, know the truth about Dr. Lemieux's unexplainable abilities.

“You and I both know it wasn't you,” Mario assures his young protégé. “You would know.”

“I didn't know last time, though,” Sidney reminds Mario in a hushed tone. Mario sighs sadly. He knows Sidney well enough to not argue about something that happened too many years ago. They have had this conversation only a handful of times, but it seems to be making even more appearances with the attacks. Everyone is tense and waiting for answers, and Mario is not fully prepared to answer them. He has several people to worry about—his family and Sidney, first and foremost.

“That was a long time ago, Sid,” he still says, just barely above a whisper. “You were only a child, and they all suffered the consequences for the way everything played out.”

Sidney slowly shakes his head.

“It doesn’t make the pain hurt any less. And it definitely doesn’t change anything that’s happened.”

The pad of Mario's thumb gingerly rubs at Sid's clavicle peeking from his white sleep shirt. He can feel the dull ache of Sid's anguish, a constant gloom over the young man's head. If he wasn't so full of hurt and anger, he would be a much stronger and more powerful wolf.

“You have nothing to worry about, Sidney,” Mario tries to reassure his young protege. “I know that you didn’t do this. I know you aren’t behind any of these attacks.”

Sid sighs agitatedly.

“I wish I didn't have to forget anything when I shift during a full moon,” Sid laments. “I wish I had more control.”

“I know you do. But that's not how nature made you. And I know being a lone wolf doesn’t help matters any, but you could have turned out so much worse.”

“I never asked for this life. I never wanted to be a lone wolf with no control over himself. I just wanted a family, Mario, and I’ll most likely never be able to have that, much less a pack to call my own.”

Sidney’s anger does not stem from being a wolf. Not really, anyway. He was born in his own wolf pack, the one that he was one day meant to lead and take care of. The pack was all he knew as a young pup; it was all he wanted.

But now, there is no pack to call his own. He hasn’t had a pack to come home to in years. He doesn’t think he will ever have the pack he longs so desperately for, not with the work he does. Being a doctor has given him back that sense of purpose that he had lost. He loves helping and taking care of people, and this opportunity to come work for Dr. Mario Lemieux, a new doctor coming to work in Sidney’s childhood hometown of Cole Harbour, came at just the perfect time in the perfect place. It does not fill the void in his heart left to be filled by a pack, but it is much easier these days to accept what will never be.

It’s not a bad thing, being a wolf. Sidney enjoys the stellar hearing and keen sense of smell. It helps him perform his job as a doctor and a surgeon very well. He likes the fact that he is stronger than almost all men his age. He sometimes takes advantage of his charming aura and pretty, boyish face, but only in other towns where no one recognizes him or will try to run their mouths.

There are pros and cons to everything in life, Sidney has learned. On days like these, a full day after a full moon that he doesn't even remember, the bad always seems to outweigh any form of good.

There is a knock at the door, startling the two doctors out of their quiet reverence. Mario goes to open the door and is met with Sheriff Mike Sullivan on the other side.

“I wasn’t expecting you for another hour, Sully,” Mario says. Sullivan is tight-lipped as Mario lets him inside.

“I would’ve waited if it weren’t for the tension rising among the citizens,” the sheriff replies in disdain. Sidney pulls out a chair for Sullivan at the kitchen table; Sullivan thanks him quietly before taking a seat. He takes off his hat and places it on the table.

“The town is in full panic, I assume?” Sidney finally asks.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Sullivan sighs. “People are not stepping outside of their homes until they know that whatever is attacking the people is permanently gone. Three victims in one month. One dead, one still unconscious, and one permanently disabled with no memory of the attack.”

Mario sits three glasses on the table and pours generous amounts of whiskey in each one. The three men sitting at the table take a swig before Sullivan begins to speak again. He looks directly into Sidney’s hazel eyes.

“I know it wasn’t you, Sid. It wasn’t you the first two times, so why would it be you this time around?”

Sidney is suddenly very interested in the whiskey that sits in his glass.

“Also, there is evidence proving your innocence. It’s not much, but it’s a start.”

Sid perks up his head at that. As does Mario. Sid sputters a little, trying to find the right words. He doesn’t want to have any false hope.

“What have you learned?” he finally asks.

“I asked some friends from other North American packs. Apparently there have been similar wolf attacks in Montreal and a couple other places outside of Toronto. And after some digging, they’ve learned that it’s most likely the same wolf behind each attack.”

“How can they know, though?” Mario questions. “I know certain wolves have distinct smells depending on their packs, but being a lone wolf makes things a little more difficult, does it not?”

“It's almost like each wolf has a certain tell, of sorts, outside of their scents,” Sidney says. “It’s not easy. Only wolves can distinguish each other’s tells, and even then, not every wolf is capable of it. Some are gifted with reading wolves; some are not. But every wolf has an individual scent away from their pack. It is harder to identify a lone wolf because they only have their birth scent and nothing else to go on.”

“Whoever this wolf is,” Sullivan chimes in, “either they don’t belong to a pack, or their pack is not saying who it is.”

“Have all the local packs been notified?” Sidney inquires. Sullivan nods.

“Alpha Ovechkin knows that none of his people are responsible. Same thing with Alpha Pacioretty’s pack and Alpha Phaneuf’s pack, too.”

“What about Alpha Giroux?”

“He says that his pack is clean, but I don’t entirely believe him. He’s never been the most honest Alpha.”

“What else is new?” Mario grumbles. Sullivan and Sidney grunt in agreement and take another sip of their drinks.

“I mostly came here because I needed to give you two a fair warning, especially Sid,” Sullivan announces. Sidney and Mario straighten their postures in their chairs at that.

“We’re listening,” Mario says. Sullivan scrubs a hand over his face and sips on his whiskey before speaking again.

“A hunter has been hired to come handle the search for the wolf.”

Mario’s breath hitches. Sidney’s muscles in his arms tense.

“I know. It’s not what I wanted, either, but the other creatures of the Underworld around the area are desperate. News has spread to Halifax, and they aren’t taking any chances with any wolf attacks happening in the urban areas. If that happens, all hell will break loose. The people here in Cole Harbour just want this thing stopped before someone else becomes this monster’s next target.”

“Do we know who this hunter is?” Mario interrogates. “Do we know where they’re from? Are they even trustworthy? Wolf hunters have a reputation, and we know how they are when they get the opportunity to kill a wolf.”

Sidney picks up on Mario’s change of tone and the way he is gripping his glass a little more tightly. Mario has always been very protective of creatures of the Underworld who have no one else and nowhere else to go. His merciful heart is part of the reason he had hired Sidney to join his practice just three years before, but his dislike for wolf hunters is notorious. He’s lived a long life and has come across many different hunters in the past. He’s never met one that he genuinely likes.

“I asked around. Alpha Ovechkin knows him. Says he’s a stand-up man. His name is Evgeni Malkin. He's young, but he’s known to be friends with many wolves and packs all over the continent and in the Russian Empire, where he’s from.”

“Yet he hunts the very people he’s supposedly so close to,” Sidney whispers. He tries to not let his nerves show, but he is an open book, especially to the few people he has let stay close to him in his life.

“He only goes after lone wolves that endanger the livelihood of the people around them. Malkin is not some monster who kills wolves for sport. He works with wolves more than he does anyone else.”

“And you heard all of this from Ovechkin?” Mario asks.

“And Benn. And Karlsson. And Pacioretty. Every Alpha that I’ve spoken to has said nothing short of praises for Malkin. How often do you come across an honorable hunter that is highly respected by multiple Alphas throughout an entire continent?”

Mario is silenced by Sullivan’s statement. Sidney just worries at his bottom lip as he tries to keep his anxiety at bay. He doesn’t dare speak.

“I know that you two are wary of this decision, and so am I. But we need to put a stop to these attacks. The people are terrified to even walk outside, much less carry on with their day. We have to find this bastard before anyone else becomes a victim. Malkin was a last resort. Everyone else in the community agrees that a hunter is the best option. We’ve done everything we can on our own at this point without endangering Sid or anyone else in the town.”

Sidney and Mario share worried glances before Mario sighs sadly. Sidney’s stomach drops.

“Sid, Sully is right. We need to do something about these attacks. We can’t have anyone else dying in Cole Harbour. One dead person, another permanently blind with no recollection of the attack, and one other in a comatose state is enough. There is only so much we can personally do here. We just need to cooperate with Malkin and do the best that we can hiding you and helping the rest of this town. Our job is to care for the people and protect them, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

“If Malkin oversteps his boundaries,” Sullivan swears, “we’ll send him away and find another hunter. I know this is a lot to ask of you, but we need to put a stop to the madness.”

Sidney should have known that Mario would eventually agree to a wolf hunter coming to take over the investigation. He understands that the terror among the people needs to be handled as quickly as possible, but having a hunter come in to help is only asking for trouble. Sullivan seems to be willing to take that risk, though, and so is Mario.

Sid sighs defeatedly and downs the rest of his drink. He normally hates liquor, but the warmth of the alcohol spreading across his chest eases the racing in his heart.

“When does Malkin come into town, exactly?” he asks.

“He’ll be here at sunrise in three days,” Sullivan tells him. “That gives you a little time to prepare for him to show up.”

“We won’t let him find out about you, Sid,” Mario promises. “I know being a lone wolf is dangerous for you, but that doesn’t mean a hunter is going to immediately kill you for it. Have faith. Just keep the cloak on, and it will do its job.”

Sid is confident in the cloak’s abilities. It was given to him as a young teenager by a witch in Toronto, where he had lived and studied medicine before finally returning home to become the new town doctor under Dr. Mario Lemieux’s guidance and watchful eye. She had promised him that the hooded red cloak would hide his scent from other wolves and that he would be able to live as much of a normal life as possible. So far, the cloak has done what it was created to do, and Sidney has always been very thankful for the witch’s work.

Sidney is seldom around other wolves as it is, though, and there is not another wolf in western Nova Scotia that can find his scent. But with the wolf attacks on the people in this town, Sidney has a grave feeling deep in his bones that this investigation will expose him. He has always had the gift of premonition, and he has never been wrong about these kinds of things before.

“Will I have to meet Malkin upfront?” Sidney grumbles.

“I was hoping to introduce you as the only other doctor in Cole Harbour and my future successor, yes,” Mario says. “You are vital to this case since you were the one who somehow managed to save Mrs. Bell from what should have been a sure death. And you saved Mr. Rutherford last night. Your talents should be praised. Malkin will most likely want to hear your observations about the case and the victims.”

Sidney doesn’t like this. He doesn’t like this one bit. He doesn’t want some stranger coming into his territory, snooping around where he doesn’t belong. His wolf is even more opposed to the idea than he is, if her incessant snarling in Sidney’s head isn’t some kind of indicator of just how unhappy she is. He wants answers just as badly as everyone else, but not at the risk of some hunter coming in to wreak even more havoc on his town and his people.

Arguing with the two other men would be futile at this point, though. Malkin is already on his way to Cole Harbour as the three men speak to each other, and he will begin the hunt for the murderous wolf lurking the town borders as soon as he arrives.

Sidney downs the rest of his drink, letting the alcohol warm his chest and settle his heart down. He needs some food, some sleep, and some prayers. He’s going to need them if he wants to survive the disaster that is afoot.

 

Sidney stands at the Cole Harbour town limit sign on the edge of the town’s market street, hands vibrating against his thighs. He wants to check that his cloak is secure around his shoulders, but he knows that Mario will notice and give him another one of his sympathetic looks. So Sidney fidgers with the seam of his pants pocket instead, tugging on the loose string inside the pocket. He will have to get either Catherine or Veronique to sew it back together later. They are his favorite pants, and he will not let them go so easily.

“It’s past sunrise,” Mario finally grumbles when the sun’s full shape is finally seen around the clouds. “Malkin is late.”

“Ovechkin had warned me that he would most likely be late,” Sullivan sighs. “He had to finish a botched hunting job in Boston before he could come to Cole Harbour. Our case was brought to him on short notice. Hopefully he won’t be very much longer.”

Sidney hates it when people are late. Punctuality was a necessity when he was growing up in his pack, and he has always been either early or on time to everything in his life. His boarding school and university professors always praised him for his lack of tardiness. Mario tells him time and time again how happy he is about finally having another doctor working at his practice who likes to be consistent with his routines and his punctuality. He has been told in years past that he is even more disciplined than even the best soldiers in the military. He wears that badge of honor with pride.

Tardiness is one of Sidney’s most well known pet peeves. Malkin’s excuse for being late better be a good one. He is already on Sidney’s bad side just for existing as a wolf hunter. It’s a harsh mentality, Sidney knows, but he has never been the most merciful wolf to exist. He could be worse, he reminds himself. Much worse.

Sidney turns to mount his horse and ride back to the clinic to check on Mr. Rutherford when the silhouette of a man atop a galloping horse appears in the distance. Sidney slowly climbs back down and moves to stand by Mario again.

“I was wondering why you stayed as long as you did,” the doctor teases.

“I want to meet this man myself before he comes into my territory,” Sidney says. “Like hell I’m going to let him step into Cole Harbour’s city limits without meeting him first.”

_My territory. Mine. Mine. Mine._

Sidney is pretty sure he hears Mario fondly scoff and mumble, “Wolves,” but he can’t be entirely sure.

The stranger’s horse skids to a halt on his owner’s command just a few feet from the group. The spotted gray horse snorts and nudges at his master’s shoulder as soon as the man dismounts him.

“Sorry I’m so late,” the man tells Sidney, Mario, and Sullivan. His accent is heavy on his tongue, but it’s warm and kind. He’s tall, almost as tall as Mario, with messy hair the same color as the dark brown leather jacket accentuating his broad shoulders and long torso. His striking brown eyes droop like a hound dog’s do, and his smile is dazzling and perfectly straight.

Sidney tears his gaze away to stare at his own boots. His fingers begin to twitch against his leg once more, even more restlessly this time.

“We were told that you might not be here on time,” Sullivan says to Malkin. “Alpha Ovechkin said something about a botched hunting job in Boston.”

Malkin grunts and rolls his eyes.

“Yes, horrible job to finish in Boston. Bad hunter make things worse, so I have to clean up his mess. Hate city, anyway. Boston pack not very nice, either.”

“Well, hopefully, you will feel a little more at ease here in a much smaller part of North America,” Mario chimes in. He steps forward and holds his hand out for the hunter. “Dr. Mario Lemieux. I run the medical clinic here in Cole Harbour and perform all surgeries in the town and beyond.”

Malkin grins.

“Never meet witch doctor before,” he says kindly. Mario huffs a laugh.

“There’s always a first for everything.”

Malkin shifts his gaze over to Sidney, who is still trying to hide how anxious he feels. Malkin tilts his head slightly to the side, almost like a hound would do when meeting someone new for the first time. It shouldn’t be enough to ignite a fire in the pit of Sidney’s stomach. He keeps his cool on the surface, but Athena is clearly very interested.

“And who is this?” Malkin asks. Sidney blinks up at the taller man, who is still eyeing him curiously. Sidney rolls his broad shoulders back, letting the red cloak flutter behind him.

“Dr. Sidney Crosby,” he formally introduces himself. “I work with Dr. Lemieux at the clinic.”

“So you one who save recent victim, yes?”

Sidney’s cheeks heat up.

“Dr. Lemieux and I both did together, actually. It was a team effort.”

“Sidney likes to humble himself in the face of praise,” Mario says. “My eyes and hands are not as good as they once were, and he is very talented with medicine.”

“You witch doctor, too?” Malkin asks Sidney. Sidney shakes his head.

“I’m just a doctor,” he lies.

Malkin’s eyes drift up and down Sidney’s body, at first like he knows that Sidney is hiding something. Then his eyes twinkle in that way that has Sidney’s stomach go taut with want.

Sidney knows that look. He used to be on the receiving end of it more times than he could count when he was in boarding school in the United States and when he was in university in Toronto. Boys and girls, and then later in life, men and women alike would look at him like he was an enticing meal, sizing him up like they were the predators and he was the prey.

Malkin may give him the same look but not to the same degree. There is something peculiar in his stare. He doesn’t have time to dwell on it when Malkin slowly raises a hand for Sidney to shake.

“Evgeni Malkin,” he says. Sidney takes Malkin’s hand out of politeness and has to rein in the gasp that almost tears itself from his throat. His body feels electric, and he is thankfully very successful at keeping his composure.

When they let go of each other’s hands, Sidney’s body feels suddenly very cold and he wants to whine for Malkin to touch him again. Desperation hits him but not as hard as it does Athena. She howls to be touched, and Sidney has take his focus away from her and on the meeting at hand.

“When do I begin?” Malkin asks.

“As soon as possible,” Sullivan replies. “We need to find this wolf before the next full moon comes. We can’t afford to have anymore people dying in this town. The townspeople here are worried. They want answers, and they want to move on with their lives.”

Malkin nods once.

“I understand. I’m need guide for town. Go back to where attacks happen. Talk to people in town.”

“We can help you with all of that. Mario and Sidney still have their notes on the victims and their injuries if that will help.”

“Yes. Big help.”

“Good,” Mario says. “Hopefully with your skills and talent, we won’t have anymore attack victims on our operating table.”

“I’m try my best, Doctor.”

“I know you will. I’ve heard many good things about you, Malkin. I can only hope that you will live up to my expectations.”

Malkin smirks.

“I’m best for reason.”

Sidney can hear the confidence in Malkin’s words and really hates himself for being heavily attracted to that unwavering power the hunter possesses. Sidney can feel how close his wolf is to breaking the surface, and he knows that he can’t stay here.

Sidney curtly nods his head once and mounts his chestnut colored horse. He needs to leave before his desires become too much to handle. Athena is not doing much better. If anything, she is whining like she is about to die of starvation.

“I have to head back into town to see the men at the docks,” Sidney announces to the three other men. He pointedly makes sure that he doesn’t linger over Malkin’s form for too long. “They need all the extra help they can get, and I promised Flower I would come help.”

Mario’s eyes slightly narrow at Sidney, but he blinks and nods.

“Very well,” he says. “Don’t forget to check on Mr. Rutherford before midday and give Bennett a break. I will be with Sullivan and Malkin in the town around that time. I want you to give me an update on Mr. Rutherford’s progress. I know that you have plenty on your plate, but that does not mean that you can neglect your duties.”

“Yes, sir. I understand.”

“Good. You are free to go.”

Sidney is about to turn around and leave when Malkin clears his throat. Sidney immediately snaps his attention to Malkin. The hunter flashes him a heart-stopping smile.

“I hope to see you again soon, Sidney,” he says. Athena is practically losing her wits, and Sidney knows he won’t be able to contain her for much longer. He nods curtly to Malkin.

“And the same with you, Evgeni,” he answers.

“Geno.”

“Pardon?”

“Geno. Is nickname for North America tongue. Friend from home give me name.”

Sidney takes a deep breath and hums when he exhales.

“Well then, Geno,” he tries to say without a squeak in his voice, “I hope you enjoy your stay in Cole Harbour.”

“Thank you.”

Sidney gently kicks at Marie’s side with the heel of his boot and clicks at her with his tongue to move. She obeys and races off to the general direction of the docks until Sidney knows he is completely out of the three men’s eyeviews.

He has Marie take a sharp right into the wooded area that is more inland and secluded than the rest of the town. They only slow down when they have reached their normal hiding spot near a small cave entrance disguised behind many pine trees. He dismounts Marie and loops her reins around a tree with plenty of grass surrounding it before crawling expertly in the cave.

Sidney remembers when he found this cave as a young pup needing some peace and quiet from his pack and his parents. It’s a miracle he can still fit through the narrow entryway, but he manages to squeeze through every time.

As soon as Sidney is inside of the cave, Athena is almost clawing at his insides to be released. He hurriedly undresses himself, taking the red cloak off last. He yelps when he is forced onto his hands and knees from the force of Athena’s dormant strength finally tapping the surface. He breathes heavily through his nose as his bones quickly shift and grind against each other. Shifting has never been particularly pleasant for Sidney, but he has become far too used to the feeling of his wolf taking over and possessing him for a little while to be too bothered.

Athena is much kinder than most wolves are to their human counterparts. She seldom ever overpowers Sidney against his will. If she does, she always apologizes after. She was distraught by her behavior from the full moon just the other night, and Sidney knows she meant every word. Wolves are not normally the kind to be secondary, especially when their blood pumps Alpha instincts through every fiber of their being. Sidney knows the true power Athena holds, and he knows just how easily she can overpower him.

But the trust they have in each other is the key to their survival. They have to take care of each other, watch after each other. They cannot depend on anyone else but themselves.

Sidney knows that his wolf form has fully taken over when his senses heighten drastically all around him. Sounds he could not hear before are crystal clear now. He can smell all the animal trails just outside of the cave. He wants to step out into the heightened world around him and the wind gently blow through his solid black fur, but he immediately has to curl in on himself when he hears Athena’s whimpers in his mind.

Heat boils in Sidney’s stomach, rapidly spreading through his entire body. He can’t fight Athena’s needs and lets her take over in his place. He feels the heat radiating between his hind legs and knows that the loss of control is inevitable.

So he submits to the needs his wolf’s body calls for and whimpers and writhes as the heat courses through him.

 

Sidney awakes a little while later with a groan as the sun shines through the entrance of the cave. His mouth tastes sour, and his shoulders are a little sore from the awkward position. He slowly sits up and checks for anything out of place on his body.

Athena whimpers apologetically, and Sidney sends her comforting warmth in his mind. He knows that she had to take over, and he had fully allowed her to be the one in charge for as long as she needed to. She has nothing to apologize for.

Sidney feels more centered when he finally has his clothes and his cloak back on, and he is relieved to see Marie still in the meadow nearby, gnawing on some fresh grass peeking through the earth. Sidney strokes her snout and smiles when she slaps away a bumblebee with her tail. He finally mounts her and clicks his tongue to get her moving into the direction of the town.

By the position of the sun, Sidney can tell that it’s almost noon, which means that he needs to return to the clinic to check on Mr. Rutherford and let Beau take his lunch break. He slows Marie down to a leisurely stroll when they travel down the thankfully busy streets of Cole Harbour.

Sidney talks to a few locals while still riding Marie, answering their questions about Mr. Rutherford to the best of his abilities. He sees his friends Flower and Tanger in their disgusting fishing gear and stops next to them on the street.

“So we hear there’s a hunter in town,” Flower greets Sidney almost immediately. Sidney rolls his eyes as he dismounts Marie in front of the bookshop just a few yards from the clinic.

“I don’t want to talk about it, Flower,” he grumbles.

“You’re feisty today,” Tanger quips with a smirk. “Already hate the guy, eh?”

“I don’t _hate_ Geno. I just don’t feel comfortable having a hunter snooping around the town.”

“Vero met him earlier and said he was really nice,” Flower says. “Apparently he bought Estelle some pastries from the Dupuis’ bakery. Cath liked him a lot, too. He was polite and kind.”

“What did he talk to Vero and Cath about?” Sidney asks quietly. Flower and Tanger discreetly dart their eyes around to see if anyone is listening before turning to Sidney again.

“He was asking what they knew about the attacks,” Tanger explains in a serious tone. “Simple stuff. Where they were, what they were doing around the time of the attacks, and so on. He was very polite about it and didn’t push for too much. He kept asking if there were other wolves in the area, and Alex almost blurted everything about you to Geno.”

Sidney’s face drains of color. Geno is already asking the big questions, and he’s only been here a few hours. He’s going to find out Sidney’s secret in almost no time.

“Cath stopped him before he could say anything,” Tanger quickly adds, almost sensing Sidney’s panic. “She, Vero, and now all the others around town have decided to stick with the story about your pack. None of us will mention your name or your family, of course, but that was the best course of action we could take with little time to spare.”

Sidney nods somberly. The story about his old pack is not a happy one, but if it can keep Geno’s nose out of his business, then he can live with people talking about what happened. Sometimes survival is about having to do and say things no one would normally think of doing, and Sidney has long been resigned to that state of mind.

“Did he talk to either one of you yet?” he asks.

“Not yet,” Flower replies, “but Vero said he wanted to talk to every creature still living in Cole Harbour, so he’ll be talking to us pretty soon.”

Sidney has to bid his friends goodbye when he sees Beau, his and Mario’s young assistant, standing by the clinic door. He walks over to Beau and waves at him.

“How’s this morning been going?” Sidney says.

“Nothing major,” Beau tells him. “A couple of the fishermen needing stitches. Mr. Heinze needed some medicine for his headaches returning. The usual.”

“Nothing new on Mr. Rutherford?”

Beau shakes his head.

“He still hasn’t woken up. But his heart still sounds good and his wounds are clean and trying to heal on their own. I redressed the more critical wounds like you and Dr. Lemieux asked, and they looked like they were healing all right. Hopefully he’ll wake up soon.”

Sidney fumbles with the trim of his cloak and bites his lip. They need Mr. Rutherford to wake up as soon as possible before someone else will suffer the same fate. They need answers.

“Well, you can’t rush someone’s recovery. At least his wounds are still healing as they should. You can take the rest of the day off.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. I need to get caught up on some paperwork. You’ve been working hard lately, and you need the day off.” Beau grins and thanks Sidney before bounding off to find his friends in the town. Sidney nods and steps inside the clinic for the first time since the evening before.

The place doesn’t look as bloody as it did during the April moon, but it’s hard for Sidney not to imagine the spray of arterial blood painting the walls. He can still hear Mario frantically begging for him to help stop the bleeding, Mr. Rutherford’s cries for Mario to put him out of his misery, Athena howling sadly in Sidney’s mind. He quietly peeks in the room where Mr. Rutherford is still unconscious and recovering.

The wounds all over his chest and arms are an angry red but look like they are healing the way that they should. Sidney knows that Mr. Rutherford should have died the other night. Mario giving him a healing potion is the only reason that he is still alive. Whoever this lone wolf is, they are very strong and far too powerful for one man to take down on his own. It’s hard to heal a wolf bite on a human, but this is something entirely different.

He shakes the vivid memories from his mind and takes a seat at his desk in his office. He opens his medical journal and begins to read over his notes from Mr. Rutherford’s surgery, Mrs. Bell’s injuries, and Mr. Shero’s autopsy. At this point, Sidney is just hoping that maybe he will find a clue on how to stop this wolf from attacking more people before the wolf hunter does. It’s mostly wishful thinking, but Sidney is hoping that maybe he can get through to this lone wolf and get him help before anyone else gets hurt or killed. He knows how out of sorts a lone wolf can feel without any kind of pack. It’s not fair that so many lone wolves are killed for things that are out of their control.

Flower has always told him that his heart is too soft to be critical of lone wolves, and Sidney knows that Flower is not entirely wrong. He understands them, though. He can sympathize with their anguish because he, too, has felt what they feel. It’s a dull ache to him now, but the misery of not having a pack to call his own almost killed him once. He never wants to feel that weak again. No wolf should have to suffer like that. He wouldn’t even wish that kind of hell on his worst enemies.

Just as Sidney is about to give up on reading over the notes, a low groan is heard from Mr. Rutherford’s recovery room.

Sidney’s head snaps up in the direction of the quiet noise and focuses his hearing in case he catches it again. He doesn’t have to wait long to hear a soft whimper come from the room.

Definitely not a figment of his imagination.

Sidney immediately jumps out of his seat and runs into Mr. Rutherford’s room to find the older man trying to sit himself up—and very clearly awake.

“Mr. Rutherford?” Sidney asks cautiously. Mr. Rutherford blinks up at the young doctor with very confused, very tired eyes. He keeps trying to sit himself up and Sidney has to help him the rest of the way in case he hurts himself more.

“Sidney, my boy?” he asks hoarsely when he is finally in a comfortable sitting position.

“Yes, sir?”

“What happened to me?”

“You were attacked, sir,” Sidney explains softly. “You were attacked by a wolf.”

Mr. Rutherford appears to be thinking long and hard, and the look on his face is enough of an answer for Sidney.

Mr. Rutherford doesn’t remember what happened.

 

“No recollection?” is Mario’s response when Sidney finishes telling him about Mr. Rutherford waking up. Geno is expressionless as he sits in the only other chair in Mario’s office. Mr. Rutherford’s wife and sons came to bring him home just a few minutes before with a promise to let Sidney and Mario come see him in their home first thing in the morning.

Sidney shakes his head.

“So there goes another chance at figuring out who this is and what they want,” he complains.

“Not too late for him to remember,” Geno says for the first time since entering the clinic. “Memories always come back.”

“We need them to come back right now, not after the April moon has come and gone.”

“Can’t rush recovery. Are you not doctor? You not know this? Bad doctor if you not know.”

“What the hell is your problem?”

“I’m not have problem. _You_ have problem because of wolf attacks on townspeople. Can’t solve overnight. These things take time.”

“We don’t have time! Don’t you get that?”

Geno straightens up in his seat.

“Can’t do my job if I have no knowledge to help me!” he says in a raised voice.

“Then find something so that you can get out of here faster!”

“What you have against me?”

“All you wolf hunters are the same! All you want is a reason to justify killing wolves when there is always another way to help them! You’re all just a bunch of murderers for hire!”

Geno rises to his feet and steps into Sidney’s space until Sidney has to tilt his head up to keep eye contact with the taller man.

“You know nothing about me.”

Something in Geno’s deep, gravelly voice sends shivers down Sidney’s spine and also sounds alarms through his instincts, but the wolf manages to keep his composure.

“I don’t need to know anything about you,” he snarls. “You’re all the same. You get paid to kill, and some of you even do it for sport. None of you will ever have any of my respect.”

“Not like any of those monsters,” Geno insists. “I’m here to help, not to have fun. This is not fun job for me.”

“The last hunter I met who said that he wasn’t a monster put a silver bullet in the brain of a wolf pup who didn’t even mean to attack another pup in his pack. And he didn’t even care when he realized that he had gone too far and that the pup could’ve been spared so don’t give me that noble hunter bullshit. You’re all a bunch of bloodthirsty murderers, and nothing will change that.”

“Sid, that’s enough,” Mario says firmly. Both young men turn to Mario and let the silence linger between them.

“But—” Sidney tries to say but Mario holds up his hand, effectively stopping Sidney from talking anymore.

“No. Geno is a guest in this town, and he will treated like one. The way you have spoken to him is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”

“Mario—”

“End of discussion, Dr. Crosby. You’re done for the day.”

Sidney knows there’s no room for argument when Mario formally addresses him like that. Sidney rolls his shoulders and glances at Geno one last time before storming out of the office and the clinic. He mounts Marie and clicks at her to move and head toward the woods for the second time that day.

He mentally berates himself for his behavior when he is hidden away by the rocks on the highest peak sitting over Cole Harbour. He knows that he hasn’t been very nice to Geno since the moment the hunter arrived. It’s not very fair for him to judge Geno, but he’s come across many hunters over the years being a lone wolf himself. None of them have ever suspected him of being anything other than someone who just happens to be familiar with the creatures of the Underworld. His rage and pride in the face of a wolf hunter on his territory will be his ultimate downfall.

Sidney takes a deep breath and tries to get some control of his spinning emotions. It’s been a long time since he has forced himself to be overly defensive to anyone, but he needs to be on guard now more than ever. He can’t keep letting his emotions and his instincts distract him from the real dangers at hand.

He knows that he needs to trust Geno to do his job. Geno has been nothing but nice to him, even during Sidney’s frankly embarrassing outburst in the clinic. He could have easily ripped Sidney’s guts from his body with his bare hands if he wanted to, but he mostly kept his anger under control and did not lay a finger on him.

Sidney’s train of thought quickly derails as he imagines Geno’s hands on his body. He knows it’s wrong to think of his natural enemy in that way, but if he wasn’t a wolf, he thinks he would have approached Geno very differently.

A lot of things would be different if Sidney wasn’t a wolf. Maybe not easier, per se, but most certainly different.

 

Sidney doesn’t speak to Geno for the next four days. The hunter walks around the town, telling the unsuspecting humans that he works for a wildlife group that tracks down wild animals and either captures them and releases them back into the wild or they kill them. He talks to other creatures of the Underworld as if they are his friends and asks them even more detailed questions about the wolf attacks. He loves the animals around town and makes goofy faces at the small children. Everyone _loves_ him.

Sidney can always see Geno in front of the tavern by the shoreline when the other man is taking a break from his interviews, and Sidney has to watch as women flock to Geno as if he is someone of importance.

Sidney can’t deny that Geno is good looking. Hell, he can’t deny that he is very appreciative of Geno’s looks and his body. There’s something else about Geno that really catches Athena’s attention, but he can’t pinpoint what it might be. Whatever the reason may be, at least it can’t be seen by his friends. But they can all tell that Sidney himself definitely has the hots for Evgeni Malkin, and they all take guesses as to what convinced Sidney to like a guy who they know is his naturally sworn enemy.

He is cursed with being an open book.

“He has nice hair,” Flower says as he, Sidney, Tanger, and their friend Duper sit in the tavern to have a beer one unusually warm afternoon. Sidney knows that they’re all talking about Geno again. All anyone has been talking about lately is Geno and his charm and his good looks.

“And he’s very tall,” Duper points out. “Carole-Lyne has already told me that if she and I weren’t already married with four children, she would leave me for him without thinking twice. And I can’t exactly fault her. He’s handsome.”

“Yes, he is handsome. Isn’t he, Sid?”

Sidney wishes he could punch that smirk off of Flower’s face. Instead, he simply shrugs and says:

“He’s better looking than you.”

Flower narrows his eyes and Sid laughs as his friend’s eyes turn a deep forest green like they do when he is about to hex somebody.

Before anything can happen, though, the door opens and Geno comes strolling through the doors of the tavern. The other patrons of the tavern flick their gazes over to the hunter and either smile dreamily at him or greet him like an old friend.

What is it about this wolf hunter that has everyone practically worshipping the ground he walks on?

Geno looks around the bar before settling his dark brown eyes on Sidney and his friends. Sidney hopes that maybe Geno will turn around or ignore them completely, but he isn’t so lucky when Geno is standing between Flower and Duper.

“Good afternoon, men,” he greets cheerily. Sidney can smell the sea breeze on him, and he has use every sheer ounce of willpower he has not to pounce on the man. “Mind if I sit?”

“Duper, Flower, and I were just leaving, actually,” Tanger replies. The other three men sitting at the table flash him confused looks. “We need to head back to the docks to finish one last load. But I’m sure Sidney over here wouldn’t mind some company.”

If looks could kill, the glare Sidney’s face would have buried Tanger ten times over by now. Tanger shifts his eyes to Sidney and subtly winks. Flower and Duper seem to catch on to Tanger’s plan and fumble over each other to agree with their fellow fisherman.

“Only if Sid say is ok,” Geno finally says.

Sidney knows he could say no, he does not want to sit alone with Geno at a tavern. He could reject Geno’s offer and call Tanger on his game. He wouldn’t have to put himself through the almost masochistic conversation that will take place.

“I don’t mind.”

Geno beams at Sidney says his goodbyes to the fishermen as they quickly leave the tavern. Geno takes the seat Duper once occupied to Sidney’s left and calls over one of the servers to bring him and Sidney a couple of beers.

“I don’t need another beer,” Sidney quietly insists. Geno waves his hand dismissively.

“My treat,” Geno tells him.

Sidney’s heart flutters against his will. He clears his throat and stays silent until the server comes back to drop off their beers and leaves them alone once more. Geno takes a sip of his beer.

“I’m sorry about how I acted the other day,” Sidney finally blurts out. “I was being unfair to you.”

“Sid—”

“No, I was. I shouldn’t have been so rude when all you’ve been doing is trying to help.”

“I understand. Not so fun when someone new comes into your territory.”

_Yes. My territory, not yours. Mine. Mine. Mine._

“Cole Harbour isn’t really my territory,” Sidney weakly protests. Athena huffs unhappily at him.

“Sure it is. You born here, grow up here, come back here after medical school. Cole Harbour is yours. Everyone love you here. They respect you, say you wonderful doctor. Love children. I’m surprise you not already marry someone and have children yourself.”

“How do you know I’m not married nor do I have children?”

“Small town. People talk, love petty gossip. When I ask about you, people tell me nothing but good things.”

Sidney is floored at the thought of Geno asking about him. But the good feeling goes away just as quickly when he reminds himself that Geno is only asking questions because of the attacks. It’s nice wishful thinking, though, and it elates Sidney’s spirits a little.

“They only like me because I’m a nice doctor.”

Geno laughs heartily at Sidney’s statement.

“No, they love you, Sid. Everyone loves you here. Take pride.”

A comfortable silence falls between the two men as they finish off their respective beers. When Geno finishes his, his face turns serious.

“Need to ask questions,” he says lowly. “Standard questions I ask everyone, even you.”

Sidney gulps down the last sip of his beer and sets his mug on the table. He has been waiting to see if Geno would come talk to him at some point. He has been preparing for questions since Geno came to town, and now he is ready to answer them.

“Lay them on me,” Sidney finally tells him.

“Where are you on night of Mr. Rutherford’s attack?”

“I was at home asleep.”

_Lie._

He had made the mistake of not wearing his cloak on the night of the April moon and had blacked out through half the night.

“Who come find you and tell you about Mr. Rutherford?”

“Mario came to my house and woke me up to tell me about the attack.”

_Another lie._

When he had regained consciousness, the smell of blood in the air led Sidney right to Mr. Rutherford. Had he found him any later, the older man would be dead.

“What you do next?”

“I went to the clinic with Mario, and Mr. Rutherford was already there, awaiting surgery.”

Sidney had used his usually dormant wolf strength to pick up Mr. Rutherford and carry him back into town and into the clinic to perform surgery. He was lucky that Mario had been there around that time reviewing notes on another surgery when he had arrived.

Sidney can still remember Mr. Rutherford’s pleas for Sidney and Mario to let him die, that he would rather die than suffer any longer. Mr. Rutherford doesn’t even remember saying anything of the sort.

“Who find him? You know who?”

Shit. Sidney didn’t bother to think that far ahead. He shrugs and says that he doesn’t know.

“Mario and I didn’t have time to talk about the details,” he lies. He feels guilty hiding the truth from Geno, but he has to do what is right by Athena and himself. He will not endanger their lives if he can help it.

Geno nods like he seems to understand, but Sidney can sense the doubt that Geno is feeling.

He knows that Sidney is lying.

“Is that all you needed to ask me?” Sidney asks. Geno’s jaw clenches as he shakes his head.

“If I have more questions, I let you know.”

Sidney nods once and stands up. He leaves a tip for the server on his table and checks that his cloak is secure around his shoulders.

“Why you wear red cloak?” Geno suddenly asks. Sidney’s cheeks are almost the same shade as the cloak itself. He notices the jacket Geno is wearing is the same one he has worn every time he has seen him.

“Why do you wear that leather jacket?” He quips back. Geno chuckles.

“I wear because is comfortable.”

“Then that’s why I wear my cloak. I like it and it’s comfortable.”

Geno raises his hands in surrender.

“Not judging. Is nice cloak. Looks good on you.”

Sidney’s cheeks burn as he grins and thanks Geno. As they leave the tavern together, Sidney clears his throat to catch the hunter’s attention.

“You know,” he says, “the clinic is always open if you want to come by and talk. I’m almost always there.”

Geno softly smiles at Sidney and pushes back his hair away from his forehead. Sidney didn’t think an action could be so attractive, but Geno is just--

The jagged scar on Geno’s hairline is barely noticeable if someone is not actively looking for it, but Sidney notices it the second it becomes visible. He doesn’t react, even though he wants to ask so many questions about it. He wants to ask about Geno’s scar on his cheek that looks fairly recent. He wants to know every single detail about the wolf hunter’s life.

But if Geno is forbidden to know anything about Sidney, then Sidney does not have the privilege to know anything specific about Geno. So he pushes the thoughts away and says goodbye to Geno before walking back to the clinic.

He knows that Geno is watching him, and Athena is preening happily. Sidney can’t tamper down her excitement whenever Geno is around, so he will just have to leave it be. At least she hasn’t caused any more episodes since that mess of a first meeting.

The moment Sidney is about to step inside the clinic, Athena suddenly begins to growl and and snarl. Sidney is about to ask her what’s wrong when he hears an ear-shattering scream come from the trees behind the clinic.

Sidney’s head snaps to the direction of the scream and then turns to glance behind him. Just as he had suspected, Geno heard the scream as well. Geno shifts his eyes to Sidney, a silent question to which Sidney nods only once.

The two men take off for the woods.

Another scream is heard to the east, and they take a sharp right turn. Sidney partially wishes he was alone so he can shift and find the helpless person on his own. His wolf form is impeccably fast and could sniff down the person behind the terrified screams in record time. He tries to listen for any clues to see if they are getting any closer until they hear one more shriek of terror very close by.

Sidney skids to a halt and looks to his left.

“Geno!” he shouts. “Over here!”

He can hear Geno running back to him. They both look on to see a young man curled in on himself and howling in agony. The smell of blood is too strong to miss.

So is the smell of a wolf.

Sidney swears to himself as he runs over to the bleeding man, Geno hot on his heels. The man is begging for someone to help him and startles when Sidney and Geno approach him. Sidney’s heart drops to the ground when he recognizes the blond hair and simple clothes.

His head is spinning when he sees all the blood gushing out of the claw and bite marks.

“We need to get him back to the clinic,” Sidney tells Geno frantically. Geno nods his head silently.

“I help him up on this side,” Geno says. “You get him on that side.”

Sidney quickly skims over Beau’s body to find the most critical wounds and swears loudly when he sees the worst bite over Beau’s right side. If they don’t get Beau to the clinic in time, there is no way he will survive.

“Sid!” Beau cries. “I don’t wanna die!”

“You’re not going to die,” Sidney promises. “We’re going to get you to the clinic, okay? Just trust me. I’m not going to let you die.”

Beau sobs as Geno and Sidney lift him up in their arms and start carefully carrying him back to the clinic. Blood is getting all over his and Geno’s clothes, but Sidney doesn’t care. He needs to save Beau, come Hell or high water.

Geno has to kick open the clinic door, and Sidney has to hold back on scrunching his nose and making a comment about how Geno is going to have to pay for that.

“Where we take him now?” Geno asks.

“Back room that says _Trauma,”_ Sidney says. They lie Beau down on the surgery cot in the Trauma Room, and Geno backs himself into a corner to get out of Sidney’s way and to let the young doctor get his equipment.

“I’m going to need your help since Mario isn’t here,” Sidney tells the hunter.

“Not doctor, Sid,” Geno insists.

“I don’t need a doctor right now. I just need someone to help keep Beau from hurting himself and to help keep him from bleeding out. Can you at least do that much?”

Sidney looks at Geno for the first time since they entered the clinic, and he can tell that Geno is not very thrilled at the prospect of having to participate in this emergency surgery, but Sidney is not about to let Geno cower away now. He’s going to need the extra hands.

Geno must see the desperation on Sidney’s face, because he is pushing his body away from the wall and over to the surgery cot. He helps Sidney rip Beau’s clothes off until his ravaged skin is exposed to the room. Beau is still sobbing, but his movements are slow and languid. Blood is still pouring from his wounds with every stuttering breath he takes.

“What you need me to do now?”

“I need you to take those towels and clean as much blood off of him as you can and put pressure on the bloodiest injuries,” Sidney tells him as he is grabbing the alcohol from the cabin in another corner of the room. “Beau, drink some of this. It’ll help.”

Beau immediately snatches the bottle out of Sidney’s hand and chugs the clear liquid like water. He grimaces and hands the bottle back to Sidney when he thinks he is finished with it.

Meanwhile, Geno is taking the towels and rags and pressing down on the wounds that Sidney is telling him need the most attention. There is so much blood, and it’s turning all the towels red too quickly for Sidney’s liking. But he needs to keep trying his best to patch up Beau’s injuries before he bleeds out.

Beau passes out from the overwhelming shock of the trauma and the amount of alcohol he has consumed at some point while Sidney and Geno are operating him, and Sidney has to keep checking his pulse to make sure he hasn’t stopped breathing. There are a couple of close scares where Sidney almost loses his and Mario’s young assistant, but Beau comes back every time.

The biggest, ugliest bite is the hardest to close up. It’s embarrassing how long it takes for Sidney to realize that it’s so difficult because there’s something stuck inside one of the larger holes.

“Geno?”

Geno’s been checking Beau’s pulse and temperature for the past half hour and looks close to fainting from exhaustion. Despite that, his eyes are alert when he and Sidney make eye contact.

“What you need?”

“This is going to sound really gross, but can you hold open this wound for me right here? There’s something stuck in it, and I have to get it out.”

Geno doesn’t hesitate as he stands over the wound Sidney is working diligently on.

“Ok, I need you to use your index fingers and gently keep the wound open like how I’m holding it open right now. And just try to stay as still as humanly possible. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes.”

Geno follows Sidney’s directions perfectly, and Sidney gets right to work. His medical supplies are too short to reach down as far as he needs to go, and he curses. He grabs the bottle of alcohol and pours it over his hand, rinsing off the excess blood all the way up his forearm.

“I’m really sorry for this, Beau,” Sidney whispers. He’s thankful for Beau being unconscious when he slowly dips two fingers into the wound Geno is still holding open for him. Geno’s jaw drops as he watches Sidney’s fingers disappear into Beau’s torso. It doesn’t take long for Sidney to find what he’s looking for. His fingers find something that is most definitely foreign to the rest of Beau’s body, and he somehow manages to get a handle on it before it disappears.

He slowly pulls his fingers out of Beau and stares in awe and disgust at the jagged wolf’s tooth in his hand. He peeks a look at Geno, who is also eyeing the tooth in wonder.

“Will this help with your investigation?” he asks the hunter. Geno blinks twice and nods. He holds out his hand for Sidney to drop the tooth in his palm, which Sidney does willingly. He hates that he is handing over a piece of evidence, but he has a feeling that the tooth is in good hands.

 

Mario arrives back at the clinic in time to see Sidney dressing the last of Beau’s wounds. Geno is sitting on the floor in the corner, studying the tooth to the best of his abilities while in bad lighting and without all of his tools. He had promised to stay with Sidney until the surgery was completely finished and Mario had arrived. Sidney is thankful that Geno kept his word. He really doesn’t want to be alone right now, not so soon after the attack.

Sidney glances at Mario standing in the doorway for a moment before returning to taking care of Beau.

“The wolf attacked him over an hour ago,” Sidney explains in a methodical voice. “He’s currently receiving a blood transfusion to combat the significant blood loss, and he’s still unconscious for the time being. His injuries aren’t as severe as Mr. Rutherford’s, so it’ll be easier for him to recover.”

“Sidney.”

Sidney doesn’t speak. He just finishes dressing the last wound in silence, not flinching once as Mario steps behind him to examine his work. He hums, clearly pleased with the results.

“You need me to take over from here?” the doctor asks. “You and Geno both look like you could use some rest.”

“I—” Sidney begins to protest, but a long yawn interrupts his efforts. He stares at Mario through tired eyes and finally nods his head. Mario squeezes Sidney’s shoulder with his hand.

“Go home, Sid. Get some sleep.”

“We’re going to need to find another assistant until Beau recovers.”

“Leave that to me. Go home.” He pauses to turn his gaze to Geno. “And you, too, Geno. You can do more work in the morning.”

Geno takes a deep breath and nods before rising to his feet. Sidney doesn’t miss the way Geno flinches and discreetly pats his left knee. He gathers his stuff and starts to follow Sidney out of the clinic. He and Sidney both stare guiltily at the mangled front door hanging from a single hinge.

“I pay for that,” Geno promises. Mario chuckles and shakes his head.

“We’ll worry about it tomorrow. You two get some rest.”

Sidney doesn’t realize how long he and Geno were in the clinic for until he finally steps outside to see the sun slowly setting in the west. He can see the rocky coast not far from this spot in Cole Harbour, and he suddenly doesn’t feel tired anymore.

“Do you want to go to the beach with me for a few minutes?” Sidney finds himself asking Geno. Geno looks out at the small glimpse of the horizon and grins.

“I’m not see why not,” he replies.

They sit on one of the larger rocks facing the south and watch the waves crash against the shore.

“Waves not like ones in California,” Geno mumbles.

“You’ve been to California?”

“Is where I first come to when I leave Russian Empire. Sixteen, poor, no family, no friends. No knowledge of language. Is lonely here, at first.”

Sidney wants to ask about Geno’s life back home, but he has a feeling that the hunter isn’t ready to tell that story just yet.

“How did you get into wolf hunting in the first place?” he asks instead. “Were you training to be one back home?”

Geno shakes his hand.

“Never plan to be hunter,” he explains. “I’m think I find job in mine. Strike gold. Get rich. Or work in factory or forge. Make weapons. Is what I do back home. But no one hire me because I can’t speak, read, write English. Is hard to find work when you immigrant in America.

“I’m not mean to become hunter. Is never something I dream to do. Only become one because I kill two when I’m live in Los Angeles. I’m seventeen, homeless, afraid of most people around me. But one night, I see these men. They grab this girl, try to take her away. She very pregnant, so I shout at them to stop. Say that they hurt her because she is pregnant. Next thing I know, they try to kill me.

“I fight back, win, and kill them both. Of course I’m think this lady run off, but she still there. I ask if she is okay, and she say yes. She tell me her husband is trying to find her. I tell her that I stay with her, and she thank me. So we sit and wait for police and her husband to arrive. She tell me her name is Ines. Her English better than mine so when police question me, she help interpret for me. She tell me she and her husband are from Russian Empire, but they come to America for more opportunity—and for pack.”

Sidney blinks.

“Wait, so she was a wolf?”

Geno nods.

“I’m not know who her pack is until I meet her husband. His name is Anze Kopitar, Alpha of Los Angeles pack.”

Sidney’s mind flashes back to hearing the news of the Alpha of the Los Angeles pack’s mate being kidnapped while she was pregnant about seven years ago. Everyone from all the packs all over North America were ready to come to Los Angeles to find her and kill the people that took her. Sidney had heard that a homeless immigrant living on the streets had helped her, but he hadn’t heard anything else after that.

“Wait a minute. You were the one that rescued Kopitar’s mate?”

“Yes. You remember kidnapping?”

“Everyone in the Underworld remembers. No one had ever been brave or stupid enough to actually kidnap the mate of an Alpha of a powerful pack like the Los Angeles pack. Everyone was told that it was a group of lone wolves that had taken her because they had been casted out of the Los Angeles pack for going against Alpha Kopitar’s pack rules.”

“Lots of wolves not like Alpha Kopitar for some reason. He’s good man, good Alpha. He give me home, have his Beta, Ilya, teach me English, at least for short while. Then there is lone wolf attacks all over Los Angeles, San Francisco, Napa Valley, so many other places all over West. I agree to help fix lone wolf issues in California until more people ask for my help. Can’t say no. Need money, food, shelter. So I make weapons in time and go.

“I get better, smarter, faster. Make many new friends, mostly wolves, when I travel. I have partner one time who is wolf, but he settle down with pack of his own. I’m have local packs hire me, ask me to get rid of lone wolves. Only kill ones who not want help.”

“Why would a lone wolf not want help? They all want help, whether they know it or not.”

Geno chuckles humorlessly.

“So naive, Sid.”

Sidney narrows his eyes at Geno.

“I’m not naive.”

“Yes, you are. You naive for think lone wolves all good, all innocent.”

“It’s not their fault that their packs casted them out and left them to fend for themselves.”

“You know lots about wolves for being one.”

“I can’t feel sympathy for them?”

“You can if you know whole story. But you don’t. You not know everything, Sid. You not know what I see, why some die and some live. Some have to die.”

“No, they don’t.”

“You don’t understand, Sid! Why can’t you understand how hard this is for me, too? Packs hire me to kill young wolves for horrible reasons! Sometime no reason! Is not fair! I have Alphas that want me dead for not killing wolves they hate! Want me to kill babies, pregnant wolves, old wolves who once have respect of whole pack! What I do is not easy, but I try to do right thing! I’m try to do right thing here, too! This lone wolf is monster! They already kill one and try to kill three innocent humans! No reason for their hatred and violence!”

Sidney knows that he’s letting his emotions and Athena’s emotions get the best of him, but he is tired of the mistreatment all lone wolves go through. He’s angry. He has been angry since the day his pack casted him out and banished him. He has never forgiven them for sending hunters after him when he finally settled in Toronto. He will never forgive them for ruining his life. His rage against his former back is justified. His paranoia in the face of hunters is understandable.

His harsh judgment of Geno, however, doesn’t sound like the right thing anymore.

Sidney knows that Geno is right: this lone wolf attacking the people of Cole Harbour is not a good one. But he thinks he can talk this wolf down, figure out what they want, help them any way he can. There doesn’t have to be anymore bloodshed.

Sidney sighs quietly, and Geno gives him a quiet, sulky look.

“Sorry, Sid,” Geno whispers. “Not mean to yell. Just--not easy. You right that lone wolves deserve better, but not all are innocent. I’m afraid there is nothing we can do to help this wolf attacking your people.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Sidney assures the hunter. “You’re just trying to look out for the people of Cole Harbour, and I’m thankful for that. Really, I am. Everyone here is thankful for you being here.”

Geno’s cheeks turn a dusty pink at Sidney’s compliments. In another world, Sidney could see him and Geno being something more than just friends. Because that’s what they are: friends. At least, as close as friends can be when one is a hunter and the other is a lone wolf. If Geno was to ever know about Sidney being a lone wolf, he would look at Sidney differently. He would no longer see Sidney as an equal; Sidney would be a bounty, a prize to hunt and kill and display for glory. And when he learns about what Sidney did to be casted out of his pack, he will never look at him as any form of a wolf deserving to live. Sidney can’t live with that possibility.

When this all ends, Geno will leave and move on to the next mission. Sidney will be a fleeting memory, and they will never have to see each other again. Sidney never has to worry about the potential heartbreak that will ensue. He can rest easy knowing that Geno will never know his secret.

Athena sadly whimpers at the idea of Geno leaving, and Sidney’s heart aches. He knows how much Athena likes Geno and hates that she has gotten so attached to the hunter. Sidney really likes Geno, too, but he knows it can never be.

“You need to get some rest,” Sidney quickly says when he sees how low the sun has gotten. Geno nods slowly and stands to his feet, dusting off the loose sand from his clothes. He and Sidney stare at each other, neither of them making a move to leave. Geno tilts his head a little to the side and seems to be trying to read Sidney’s face for something. What it is he’s looking for, Sidney doesn’t have a clue.

Geno’s beautiful brown eyes shift to Sidney’s bright pink lips, and then Sidney gets it. His heart rate picks up as Geno slowly leans in. His warm breath against Sidney’s cheek makes the wolf shiver with anticipation.

“Geno—” he begins to whisper but cuts himself off when Geno cups his cheek with a warm, rough hand. His touch is gentle, and Sidney gasps.

“May I kiss you?” Geno’s voice is so quiet that Sidney would have missed it if they weren’t nose to nose with each other. Sidney can’t bring the words to the surface, so he bites the bullet and kisses Geno.

It’s been a long time since Sidney has kissed someone, and he has missed the feeling of another body pressed against his own like this. But something about Geno kissing him makes Athena howl in pleasure, and Sidney’s knees feel weak. He holds onto Geno’s shoulders for support, and Geno is quick to let his other arm pull Sidney flush against his body. Their lips find a rhythm, and Sidney moans into the kiss.

_Mine. Mine. You are mine, Evgeni Malkin. You can never leave me. Mine. Mine. Mine._

Except he isn’t. Geno belongs to himself. He can never be Sidney’s mate. They will never be anything more than fleeting acquaintances.

Sidney doesn’t want to pull away, and he almost sobs when he slowly separates himself from Geno. Geno whines quietly.

“Sid? What’s wrong?”

Sidney can’t speak. He just looks sadly at Geno and tries to keep his tears at bay.

“I’m sorry” is all he can say before he turns and sprints back to town. He blocks out Geno calling his name until he can’t hear his voice anymore. He sees Marie still tied to her post in front of the clinic and mounts her without a moment’s hesitation. He clicks his tongue to get her moving and takes the long way home.

As soon as he feeds Marie and gives her water in her shed, Sidney locks himself in his little cottage and cries. He wants Geno, and he knows that he can’t have him. The universe has always been cruel to him, but this is the worst thing the higher powers could ever do to his fragile heart.

As he goes to sleep that night, he imagines Geno’s lips on his and his body wrapped up in the hunter’s strong arms. In those arms, he felt safe. Everything felt balanced with Geno touching him, and he wants that balance to stay with him forever.

He wants Geno to stay with him forever.

 

The moment Sidney walks into the clinic the next morning, he knows he’s walked in on something he probably shouldn’t have.

Mario and Sheriff Sullivan are standing toe to toe with each other, and Sidney can smell the beginnings of an ugly confrontation brewing around them. Both men turn to face Sidney and then quickly break apart. Sullivan clears his throat and straightens out his jacket.

“We’ll talk more about this later, Dr. Lemieux,” the sheriff says curtly before brushing past Sidney and slamming the new clinic door behind him as he leaves. Sidney flinches from the force of the door being closed so harshly and then looks back at Mario, who is scrubbing his hand over his face and breathing heavily.

“What the hell was that all about?” Sidney asks. Mario jumps at Sidney’s voice, like he had forgotten that Sidney was even there in the first place. He sighs tiredly and collapses in his office chair.

“Sully’s on edge,” he murmurs. “Everyone is even more panicked than before. This wolf is spiralling, and no one has any idea of how to stop them. Sully said something about finding a new hunter to come into town, but I told him it was a bad idea. Having one hunter in this town is bad enough, but two? That’s going to put you even more at risk, Sid. So I told Sully no, and he’s being very honest about how he and I don’t really see eye to eye.”

“Is Beau awake? Can’t he give us more information?”

“Beau’s awake, but he’s already told me and Sully that he doesn’t remember the attack.”

Sidney curses as he resists running his fist through the wall. Another chance at stopping this wolf is gone. They still have the tooth that Sidney recovered from Beau’s body, but they might not be able to do much with it.

“We’ll find a way to stop this thing, Sid,” Mario tries to convince Sidney. “Have faith.”

“You always tell me to have faith, but we might not have another chance to catch them,” Sidney bites. “What do they even want? Why come to Cole Harbour? What’s their reason?”

“I wish I knew, but when we catch them—and we will—we’ll get some answers. Just have—”

“Have faith. I know.”

Mario sighs dejectedly and opens his medical journal.

“Beau is still awake if you want to go talk to him. He said he wanted to thank you in person for saving his life yesterday.”

Sidney takes a breath and steps out of Mario’s office. He goes down to one of the recovery rooms at the end of the hall and softly knocks on Beau’s door. A soft “Come in” is heard from the other side, and Sidney takes that as his cue to step into the room. Beau is sitting up in his bed, reading a book and eating an apple.

“Were you hoping that apple would keep me and Mario away for a little while?” Sidney asks. The tall blond looks up at Sid and rolls his eyes fondly.

“Just craving an apple for some reason,” he says with a shrug. Sidney chuckles.

“How are you feeling? You look like hell.”

“Gee, thanks, Sid. I feel better. My side still hurts the worst, but I can deal with the pain.” Beau pauses and closes his book. “Look, Sid, I just wanted to thank you for saving my life yesterday. I really thought I was going to die for a while there, but you and Geno really helped me a lot, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”

“Beau, it’s my job.”

“I know, I know, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t be thankful.”

“It’s the least I can do. And hey, don’t beat yourself up too badly about not being able to remember the attack. All that trauma can really mess with your head, so don’t get too upset about it.”

As soon as those words come out of Sidney’s mouth, Beau tenses. Sidney can sense a change in the air, and he doesn’t like it.

“Can you shut the door?” Beau mumbles. Sid obeys and slowly closes the door to Beau’s room, not taking his eyes off of the young man. As soon as the two of them are hidden away, Beau takes a shaky breath.

“Beau?” Sidney demands quietly. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“I remember the attack.”

Sidney’s heart lurches into his throat.

“Why did you lie to Mario and Sheriff Sullivan and tell them that you didn’t remember?”

“Because of what the wolf told me when he was still in his human form.”

Athena’s energy is buzzing through Sidney’s veins, but the magic from the red cloak is still keeping her from taking over. Sidney doesn’t know how long he can hold her down before she somehow overpowers the magic of the cloak and shifts on her own.

“He was in his human form first?” he asks slowly.

“Yeah. I thought he was lost or something,” Beau explains. “So I asked him if he needed some help, and he started asking me about the other wolf attacks. I didn’t really think anything of it, but then he started getting all antsy and his hands were twitching really bad. I asked him if he needed any medical assistance, and he just—he gave me this really scary smile and said, ‘That won’t be necessary. I just need to send a message to the only lone wolf in Nova Scotia. Tell him that I want to meet. Face to face. No exceptions.’ That was when he started attacking me.”

Sidney stares blankly at the wall in front of him. All these mindless attacks—just to talk? Athena is seeing red, and so is Sidney. Without another word, Sidney leaves Beau’s room with a mumbled “Take care of yourself, Beau.”

He walks past a very confused Mario and doesn’t stop walking until he’s already past the spot where the attack on Beau took place, where Mr. Rutherford was nearly mauled to death, where Mrs. Bell lost her sight, where Mr. Shero lost his life.

So much chaos, and it was for a simple meeting. There has to be more to this. No one would be insane enough to cause massive outcry and widespread paranoia for a chat. Sidney is near his cave far enough away from the rest of the town that no one will hear what will happen next.

He sniffs the air. He knows the wolf is near.

“I received your message,” Sidney calls out to the wind. “I received it loud and clear. I don’t know what you want or why you’re so insistent on talking to me, but there better be a good reason for you attacking the people in _my_ territory. I don’t take kindly to outsiders, especially outsiders who hurt innocent people. So either show up now or I will send every creature from the Underworld after you.”

“And to think, I thought you were merciful to people like us.”

Sidney looks to his right to see a handsome, fit man with sweeping brown hair and a seductive, arrogant smile that is missing a tooth. His smell is familiar, and it sends Athena into a rage-filled frenzy.

“Who are you?” Sidney demands. The man’s smile grows in a way that makes Sidney’s stomach churn. He doesn’t try to approach Sidney, carefully keeping his distance.

“Shea,” the wolf says coolly. “Shea Weber.”

Sidney knows that name. He knows it all too well because of its horrendous notoriety.

“Nashville and Montreal didn’t want you, so now you’ve decided to come to a small fishing town outside of Halifax that has no pack of any kind. Why?”

“You.”

“I don’t get it. What the hell do you want with me?”

Shea chuckles and takes another step toward the doctor.

“Isn’t it obvious, Sidney?” he says. “You’re a lone wolf; I’m a lone wolf. You need a mate, and so do I. Your wolf is able to give us the pups we both long for. I thought about trying to find a way to speak with you sooner, but I knew that the presence of another wolf would just scare you off.”

“So you thought murdering and attacking innocent people in my territory would suddenly convince me to mate with you or something?” Sidney snaps.

“I did all of that go show you that I can protect you, care for you and our pups. I can be the Alpha to your Omega, and we can build an unstoppable pack. We could show all of those old traditional packs that their ways are dying, that lone wolves can be something great, something better than any of them ever imagined. You could finally exact revenge on your old pack and make them regret the day they made you leave. We could make other packs bow at our feet.”

Sidney narrows his eyes threateningly at Shea.

“My old pack has already paid the price for what they did to me. I don’t need anyone bowing at my feet. I want people to look at me as an equal. I want to be a stable member of society. Starting a pack that wants to take down other packs is not what I want. I’ve dealt with enough pack turmoil to last me a lifetime. So I’m sorry, but I’m not going to be your Omega and join your pack. Besides, my wolf is personally insulted that you would assume she’s only important because she’s fertile.”

Athena growls in agreement, even if Shea can’t hear her.

“So find another Omega to birth you some pups and help you start a pack. I don’t want any part of your plan.”

Shea’s laugh is dark as he dares to take another step toward Sidney.

“I picked you, Sidney,” he says, “because I know how strong you and your wolf both are. You and I are a match made in Heaven. You will never find a better mate or a better Alpha than me.”

“Yes, because I’ve always wanted a mate who attacks and murders innocent people to show that he’s the _big bad wolf._ You don’t impress me. If anything, you disgust me. I don’t like cold-blooded murderers.”

“And yet you chose to fall in love with the very person that wants you dead.”

Sidney’s face pales.

“You didn’t think I would see any of that?” Shea taunts. “Of course I saw you with that hunter. I’ve been watching you fawn over him, have beers with him, kiss him like he’s your mate. I saw it all, Sidney. But he will never love you. He hates people like you—like _us.”_

With every word he speaks, the lone wolf steps closer and closer to Sidney until they are merely a foot apart from each other. Sidney knows he wouldn’t be able to take Shea down alone. The other wolf has several inches and plenty of muscle on him. He is undoubtedly strong, and Sidney knows that he won’t be able to overpower this wolf on his own.

“But we can put a stop to people like him,” Shea continues. “We can destroy them all and never have to live in fear or paranoia ever again. We can have that, Sidney. Let’s mate and grow together.”

Shea holds out a hand for Sidney like an olive branch, but Sidney knows the truth. He can feel the darkness around Shea. He knows that this lone wolf is evil and it’s becoming clear that Shea doesn’t want to be saved.

“I’ll never mate with you,” Sidney says. “I’ve been without a pack for over twelve years, and I can handle twelve more if it means never being your Omega.”

The hopeful glint in Shea’s eyes disappears. He scowls and lowers his hand. Sidney knows that this will end only one way, and he is willing to see this to the very bitter end.

“The one opportunity at having a pack of your own,” Shea says monotonously, “and you seem so sure that I won’t convince you to give it a second thought.”

“You won’t,” Sidney replies. “I would rather die an excruciating death than be the mate of a pathetic lowlife like you.”

Sidney’s face stings where Shea slaps him hard enough across the face that he spins away from the wolf and falls to the ground. He’s pretty sure Shea’s nails broke the skin on his cheek, but he doesn’t have time to dwell on it. A hand viciously curls into his hair and pulls him up to his feet.

Sidney yelps as he is shoved chest first into a tree and is held there. Shea’s chest presses against his back and completely bracket Sidney against the tree with his body. Sidney can’t breathe, can’t think. Athena is trying to break the surface, but the cloak is hindering her.

“I was once the Alpha of one of the most powerful North American packs,” Shea growls lowly into Sidney’s ear, “and I refuse to be told _no_ by a nobody from Nova Scotia. So you have one more chance to do the smart thing: be my mate or die. Take your pick.”

“Go to Hell,” Sidney snarls. Shea slams Sidney’s forehead into the tree and drops him to the earth like a rag doll. Sidney groans in agony as he feels the blood trickle down his hairline and the sides of his face.

“We could’ve had it all, Sidney Crosby,” Shea sighs, “but your own stubbornness and pride was your ultimate downfall.”

Sidney turns onto his back to see Shea crouching over him with a menacing stare. Shea’s hands are quick as they wrap themselves tightly around Sidney’s throat. Sidney can feel his airways being crushed by Shea’s hands. He desperately thrashes his body around and tries to pry Shea’s hands off of his neck, but the wolf is too strong. Black spots are circling around in his vision, and his hands feel heavy as they loosen against the hold Shea has on his neck.

Suddenly, the pressure on his neck vanishes.

Sidney takes in long, gasping breaths and coughs at the dryness in his throat. He slowly sits up and looks around to see what’s happened. Sidney’s eyes widen at the sight of Shea being attacked by what looks to be another wolf with dark brown fur and a vicious bite. His limbs are still slow as he tries to untie his cloak from around his shoulders. Athena is howling loudly, ready to be released.

“Let me finish this fight, Athena,” Sidney whispers. Athena agrees to let Sidney stay in control without any qualms, for which Sidney is thankful. Sidney kicks off his clothes as quickly as he can and feels everything heighten all around him. The fight is still going on with Shea now in his wolf form. He’s bigger than the wolf that saved Sidney’s life but not by much, and his fur is a solid gray. He would be such a beautiful wolf if he wasn’t such a monster.

The brown wolf sees Sidney first and he barks once.

_Come fight._

Sidney doesn’t think about how that accent sounds too familiar and runs to help the other wolf take Shea down, but Shea pushes the brown wolf off without even trying. The brown wolf yelps as he is flung into the tree close by, and Sidney runs over to check on him. He nudges his nose into the wolf’s back and barks.

_Get up. He’s coming back._

The brown wolf rises to his paws and takes a moment to really look Sidney in the eye. There is recognition there, and Sidney’s suspicions are confirmed when he really looks into those brown, hound dog-like eyes.

 _Fight_ _now._ _Talk_ _later._

Sidney nods at Geno in agreement, and the two wolves turn back to Shea, who is snarling at them both. Sidney snaps his jaw at Shea in warning.

_We don’t have to do this, Shea. Just leave while you have the chance._

Shea growls angrily at Sidney.

_I’ll leave when you’re either dead or my mate._

Sidney is resigned to the fact that this will not end peacefully, so he lowers his wolf’s body into a pouncing position and sprints toward Shea. Geno is hot on his heels, and he prepares for the fight to really get ugly.

They all fight as hard as they can, trying to tear at each other’s necks and ribs. Sidney can feel chunks of his fur being ripped from his skin, and he’s fairly certain that he’s got a few scratches on his belly. Geno has one nasty looking bite on his rib, but that seems to be the extent of his visible injuries. He and Geno tag team in trying to rip Shea limb from limb, but Shea is stronger than either of them had anticipated. It’s getting bloody and there seems to be no end in sight. Sidney’s energy is rapidly depleting, and he is unsure if he and Geno will even make it out of this alive.

It isn’t until Shea snaps his large jaw over Geno’s ribs, effectively breaking them and making Geno howl in agony as he is thrown to the ground, that Sidney’s true strength is released.

Sidney jumps on top of Shea and immediately starts biting at his neck. He knows the exact moment he hits the right spot to weaken Shea and send him falling to the ground and shifting back into his human form. Shea lies on the ground, gasping for air as blood pours from the injury to his neck. Sidney shifts back and stands over Shea. Shea still manages to give Sidney a wicked grin as he starts to talk.

“I still win,” he chokes out. “Your hunter will die, and you won’t have a mate. You’ll be a lone wolf forever.”

Sidney kneels by Shea’s shoulder and takes the dying wolf’s head and neck into his hands.

“Better than being your mate,” Sidney says before snapping Shea’s neck.

And just like that, it’s over.

Except it’s not—not when Sidney hears Geno sobbing and crying out behind him.

Sidney crawls over to Geno and stares in horror at Geno’s mangled body slowly trying to piece itself back together. Geno’s healing abilities will only help him so much, but right now he needs serious medical attention.

Sidney doesn’t want to think about what will happen in Geno dies in his arms like this.

He knows he’s useless without his medical supplies, so Sidney howls loudly to the sky, hoping someone will hear his distress and come help him. He can’t leave Geno like this. So he stays and waits.

He doesn’t have to wait long.

He spots Mario, Flower, and Tanger in the distance with a medical cot and Mario’s medical bag in tow.

“We’re over here!” Sidney shouts. Mario immediately sees him and sprints toward him and Geno.

“We knew there might’ve been a fight,” Mario says as Tanger and Flower lay the cot on the ground, “so we came prepared in case it got too ugly.”

“All of his ribs are broken to some degree,” Sidney explains quickly. “He’s having trouble breathing, and he’s losing blood.”

“Sid?”

Sidney shoots his gaze from Geno to Tanger. The fisherman’s eyes are worryingly large.

“What?” Sidney snaps.

“That’s not Geno’s blood.”

Sidney’s blood turns to ice. He looks down at his own naked torso and sees five violent gashes torn into his abdomen. One clean, diagonal strike from pectoral to hip.

The last thing Sidney remembers before fading from consciousness is Geno taking hold of his hand as someone stops him from falling.

 

The next three days are nothing more than a blur.

Sidney barely remembers waking up the first time except for the moment he asks for Geno and Vero and Cath make him stay in bed.

“You’ll get to see him soon,” Vero promises him.

The next time he wakes up, he doesn’t feel as groggy from the drugs Mario has given him to help ease the pain as his self-healing abilities do their best to quickly repair the damage done to his body. He asks for Geno again, but Mario comes in this time to tell him that Geno is still recovering.

Sidney can vaguely hear the pained cries of a man in the room next to his.

The third time Sidney comes to, he’s far more alert and not in nearly as much pain. His stomach hurts like hell, though, and his entire torso is stiff. It’s the middle of the night when he awakes, and he can hear another man’s voice from the the other recovery room of the clinic. Sidney slowly stands to his feet and bundles himself into a blanket before walking out of the room and into the room next door.

Geno is sleeping in his bed, mumbling something in his native tongue. Sidney finds it endearing and quietly stalks over to Geno. The other man looks peaceful as he sleeps, and Sidney feels a burst of affection deep in the pit of his stomach. He has never felt this way for anyone before, but Geno is the exception. Geno is everything Sidney could ever hope for in a mate. He wishes he could just crawl into Geno’s bed and nuzzle his nose into Geno’s shoulder, holding onto the man of his dreams.

“Sid.”

Sidney is snapped out of his reverie, and he looks down to see Geno’s sleepy eyes partially open and a cute grin on his face. Sidney’s glad it’s dark enough that Geno can’t see his face turn bright red.

“Sorry,” he says quietly. “I was just checking up on you. Making sure you were okay and all.”

Geno raises an eyebrow before carefully scooting himself closer to the edge of the bed, leaving a large gap between him and Sidney. Sidney is about to ask what’s wrong when Geno pulls back his blanket some.

Sidney’s heart stops at the invitation.

“But your ribs—” he starts to say.

“Ribs fine, Sid,” Geno interrupts. “Come. Sleep.”

Sidney wants to argue, but the way Geno pleads with his eyes is enough incentive to get Sidney to give in. Sidney slowly maneuvers himself into Geno’s strong arms, and Sidney’s entire body goes lax.

Geno holding him now is even better than when Geno held him close and kissed him on the beach. It feels like that day was so long ago, but he doesn’t dwell on the past as he snuggles closer to Geno.

“You know we’ll need to talk about the whole you being a wolf thing, right?” Sidney suddenly blurts out. Geno laughs and kisses Sidney’s temple.

“Yes, I know,” Geno replies. “Now sleep, Sid. We have time in morning.”

 

They do talk in the morning, just like Geno promised.

“When I’m sixteen,” Geno decides to begin his story with as he and Sidney eat their breakfast together in Geno’s bed, “Alpha of Magnitogorsk pack start to make bad choices. Change ways of life for pack from ration amounts to ways we hunt. Most not like new ideas, but they never say out loud.”

“Except you,” Sidney guesses. Geno nods slowly.

“Yes. Except me. He not like I question him so much, so he finally get approval from rest of pack council, and they cast me out. I fear they cast out Mama and Papa, too, so I not only leave Magnitogorsk. I leave Russian Empire.”

“Do you think you’ll ever go back?”

Sidney wouldn’t entirely blame Geno for wanting to go back to his home country. He just selfishly hopes that maybe Geno will choose Sidney over Russia. He feels irrationally sick for his wish to have Geno all to himself, but the way Geno hasn’t stopped touching him since he snuck into Geno’s bed the night before is enough to ease Sidney’s lingering doubts.

Geno only takes a moment to think before shaking his head.

“I miss home. Miss Mama and Papa. But I think I’m never go back. I like North America. I’m have freedom, no pack Alpha to control me. I’m happy here.”

Sidney understands the sentiment. For all of his wishing for a pack, he’s enjoyed not having to follow the rules of a controlling Alpha and being able to have his freedom. Maybe it’s the Alpha instincts from Athena naturally coursing through him or even just the relief of not having someone to answer to in terms of his personal life.

But he thinks of the freedom Geno loves to have and wonders if things could ever work between them. No matter how badly Sidney would love to mate with Geno, he doesn’t think he could stand making Geno stay when all he wants to do is roam and come and go as he pleases.

“Do you think you’ll want a pack of your own one day?” he asks. Geno grins.

“One day, yes. Hope for sooner than later. I like to travel, but I’m always want someone to come home to. A nice mate with lots of pups is my real dream. Maybe I’m stay in small town, like Cole Harbour? Meet nice lone wolf doctor with pretty eyes and beautiful howl?”

Sidney’s heart races. Athena is whimpering at Sidney to do something already, and Sidney has to keep his instincts in line when he clears his throat and looks into Geno’s eyes.

“What if said doctor feels like he’s not worthy enough to be your mate?” he quietly asks. “What if he feels like he’s not really mate material?”

Geno leans forward and moves his and Sidney’s nearly empty bowls to the table on Geno’s side of the bed. Then the hunter takes Sidney’s hands into his own and presses their foreheads together.

“I think you are most perfect wolf I’m ever meet, Sid,” he whispers. “Want you to be my mate form first moment I see you. Then I think you are human, so I back away. But then you kiss me, and I know we are meant to be. I’m in love with you, Sidney Crosby. No one else is right for me.”

Geno’s lips are chapped and dry as they press against Sidney’s in a quick, innocent kiss. Sidney wants to chase those lips and kiss them forever.

“So does this mean you want to mate with me?” Sidney asks hopefully. Geno grins widely and then rolls his eyes in annoyance.

“Can’t right now. We both still hurt and we have no privacy. And we have to wait for full moon.”

“I have a cottage far enough away from the town limits that no one will be able to hear us or see us. You can stay with me while we finish recovering and then we can finally mate when the April moon comes.”

Geno chuckles and kisses Sidney again.

“Sounds like plan to me.”

They kiss again until Sidney pulls away.

“Just so you know: I’m in love with you, too, Geno.”

“I know. How anyone not fall in love with me?”

Sidney rolls his eyes and kisses Geno to shut him up.

 

Sidney and Geno get released from the clinic with strict instructions to be careful while their bodies still try to heal. Sidney wants to just mate with Geno already. He’s never wanted something so much in his life. Geno is going to be his mate, and they will finally be able to start a pack of their own.

Just two weeks ago, Sidney never thought he would get to have someone like Geno. Now they are so close to finally being mated.

They stay in Sidney’s cottage during the day and take runs at night and let their bodies recover from the damage done by Shea. They talk about the scars they received from years passed and their old happy pack memories.

There are nights where Sidney cries in Geno’s arms, wishing he could have found a way to save Shea and help him redeem himself. He knows it would have been a futile plan in the end, but it doesn’t stop the guilt from bomboarding through his body.

He hasn’t felt this out of sorts since he was casted out of his pack. He was young, then. Barely eleven years old and sent away for something that wasn’t entirely his fault. He’s mostly moved on from what has happened, but he can’t deny that there are times it’s all he thinks about.

“Why they cast you out, Sid?” Geno finally asks the night before the April moon. They’re sitting on the little porch of Sidney’s childhood cottage that he has since fixed up to his liking, taking in the beautiful woods lit up by the almost full moon.

“I was born with a female wolf instead of a male wolf,” Sidney says, not daring to meet Geno’s eyes. “I was considered strange since it had never happened in our specific pack before. My parents tried to help protect me from the horrible things the fellow pack members would say to me, but I heard it all. They treated me as if I was less than equal, even though I could keep up with all the other boys and their male wolves. Athena has always been gifted with being incredibly fast and having great hearing. She was the best wolf out of all of them. They all knew she and I were unstoppable together.

“They would get me to fight without using my wolf, and I would still win. Then Athena would fight all of their wolves and take them down without breaking a sweat. The Alpha deemed me _too powerful_ butthat I could never be Alpha because my wolf was a female. I was ten when that happened. So all the other pups in the pack would make fun of me and, as we got older, they would make crude jokes about how I was made to be someone’s bitch and that I was born to be someone’s mindless Omega. It finally got to the point where I would get into physical fights with some of the other boys. One day, a couple of the boys took the cruelty too far and shifted in the middle of fighting me.”

The scar on Sidney’s bicep is still just as ugly as it was when it finally healed on its own. Every time he looks at that scar, his mind flashes back to that horrific day.

“His wolf started biting me, trying to rip me apart. So I did what any wolf would have done and shifted as well so I could defend myself. Except Athena used her full strength to fight back, and he—”

Geno tugs Sidney closer to his side and kisses his cheek, letting his lips linger while Sidney takes deep, shaky breaths.

“He ended up getting a bite to the neck,” he croaks. “He barely made it out alive. If one of the boys hadn’t gone to get one of the adults, he would’ve been dead. After that, the Alpha deemed me too dangerous to be a part of the pack. So he had me casted out.”

Geno’s arm tightens around Sidney’s shoulders. Sidney sighs into Geno’s neck and just takes in deep breaths of Geno’s scent to calm himself.

“They wrong for what they do to you,” Geno growls. “Want to meet this pathetic Alpha, make him pay—”

“He’s already paid the price for what he’s done,” Sidney tries to assure him. “He had his pack be forced to move out of Cole Harbour and settle somewhere else. Last I heard, he was being removed as Alpha and someone else was being named Alpha of the pack. I hated that pack, anyway. They were too strict for me. I like order and all that, but they were so set in their ways and hated any form of change whatsoever. I was a problem to them. I didn’t fit the mould, and they hated me for it.”

“Still.”

“I know. I hated it, too. I was so confused and upset and didn’t know where else to go. My mother gave me some money to try and travel either down south to the United States or out west as far as I could go. I got as far as Toronto before I ran out of money, and I ended up staying there. The Toronto pack helped take care of me while I was living in the city. They offered to let me join their pack, but that was around the time that I was told my old pack was exiled from Nova Scotia and that the ban on me was permanently lifted. I was sixteen then, and I knew that I would go back to Cole Harbour one day. They let me stay with them until I finally graduated medical school, and then I came back here.

“What happened to me was wrong, yes, but I got the better end of the deal. I found myself without needing a pack to define me. I became a doctor, and now I get to help people and take care of them.”

Sidney takes Geno’s face into his hands and smiles softly at his soon-to-be mate.

“I found you, Geno, and I’m so happy I did. You are so important to me.”

Geno’s anger melts away as Sidney kisses him. They stay that way until Geno finally pulls away. He rests his forehead against Sidney’s.

“Love you, Sid,” he says.

“Love you, too, Geno.”

 

The April moon comes the next night, and Sidney is nervous.

He’s no virgin, but he is about to permanently mate with Geno, and he worries that he won’t be enough. If Geno changes his mind and decides that mating with Sidney isn’t what he actually wants anymore, Sidney knows he will be fine. It will hurt, at first, but he will eventually be fine.

Except Geno isn’t going anywhere if the way he is spread out on his back on the bed while Sidney straddles his lip is anything to go by. He looks like he could stay in this bed with Sidney forever.

Just the thought of Geno being his and his alone is enough to have Sidney wanting to move much faster than Geno is going.

“Geno, c’mon,” Sidney whines against Geno’s lips. Geno smirks into the kiss and continues to let his hands roam Sidney’s naked body.

“Beautiful, Sid,” the wolf groans when he grabs two handfuls of Sidney’s ass. Sidney moans into Geno’s mouth and tries to rut against Geno’s stomach. Geno takes hold of Sidney’s hips and holds him still, much to Sidney’s obvious dismay.

“Just fuck me already,” Sidney begs. Geno strokes his thumb against the junction between Sidney’s hip and his thigh and leans his head down to kiss Sidney’s shoulder.

“Let me get you ready first.”

Geno’s fingers are slow but precise as they prepare Sidney. He uses the oil Sidney had gone into town and bought earlier that day. He hates that all the ladies in the shop knew exactly what he was buying the oil for.

Hell, everyone in town knows exactly what is going to happen tonight.

When Geno finally pulls his fingers out of Sidney, he rolls them over so Sidney is on his back. Geno takes Sidney’s legs and drapes them across his back before lining himself up with Sidney’s hole.

“Tell me if this hurts,” Geno says before slowly pushing into Sidney’s body. Sidney’s eyes widen in surprise at how big Geno is, and he feels his whole body heat up with pleasure. When Geno is seated all the way inside of Sidney, Sidney tries to thrust his hips to give Geno the signal to move.

“Geno, please, I—”

“Got you, Sid” is all Geno says before carefully pulling out and then pushing back in. Sidney’s moans are choked off but loud and relentless as Geno builds a rhythm to fuck Sidney to, groaning and mumbling in Russian as he moves.

Sidney can feel the moonlight seeping through the windows of his room, and he becomes frantic. He needs Geno to claim him before the full moon touches him.

“G-Geno.”

“I know,” Geno rasps as he keeps fucking into Sidney with everything that he has. Sidney can see the light moving closer and closer to him and Geno with every second that passes.

“Oh fuck, Geno!” Sidney cries out at one particularly rough thrust into his body. Geno moans into Sidney’s neck, not yet ready to bite and finish mating. The light hasn’t touched them just yet.

When Sidney feels the moonlight touch his skin, he bares his throat for Geno.

“Bite me,” Sidney whimpers. “Bite me, Geno, please.”

Geno is still fucking hard and fast into Sidney, chasing his orgasm and completely unfocused.

“Bite me, Alpha,” Sidney whispers.

Geno’s sharp teeth are deep in Sidney’s shoulder only seconds later. Sidney howls as Geno lets his teeth stay and linger. The bite is enough to send Sidney over the edge and keep him in a hazy state of post-orgasmic bliss. Geno holds Sidney flush against his body and moans when Sidney bites him back in return.

_My Alpha. My mate. Mine. Mine. Mine._

Sidney lets go when he knows that his mark on Geno’s body will never fade. The bite mark is an angry red contrasting with Geno’s winter pale skin, but it looks beautiful to Sidney.

Everything about Geno looks beautiful to Sidney.

The rest of the evening is a cloudy, sex-crazed haze that Sidney doesn’t want to get out of. And when he and Geno finally lie in bed after three rounds of almost animalistic sex, all Sidney can think about is how he and Geno are finally mated.

Sidney grins and nuzzles the still fresh mark on Geno’s shoulder as they bathe together, taking in his and Geno’s mixed scents that will soon become their pack scent.

“I’m so lucky,” Geno murmurs sleepily into Sidney’s skin. Sidney kisses the bite on Geno’s shoulder before tilting his head up and lazily kissing Geno.

“I’m very lucky, too,” he whispers back.

Sidney and Geno drift off to sleep in Sidney’s bed— _their_ bed now—not long after that, holding each other as they sleep peacefully through what is left of the night.


	2. Epilogue

Two days after Sidney and Geno mate and declare that they will start their own pack within the territory limits of Cole Harbour is when they face their first major challenge.

Sidney is back at work at the clinic while Geno decides to take a look around the town to see where he can begin working. He's checking on Beau's wounds to make sure they're healing as they should when the oldest of Pascal Dupuis' children comes running through the doors of the clinic in search for Sidney.

"Maeva, what are you doing here?" Sidney asks when he sees the young girl standing in the doorway. Maeva tries to catch her breath before talking to Sidney.

"Papa sent me to find you," the little girl says. "It's an emergency. Uncle Flower had to go find Geno. Come quick."

Before Sidney can ask what's going on, Maeva is already out the door. Sidney and Beau eye each other curiously before following the girl out of the clinic and into the woods. Sidney sees Geno and Flower coming from the opposite direction and asks a question with his eyes. Geno shrugs in response. They all walk to the edge of their territory line not too far away from the town, and Sidney is beginning to get nervous.

"Flower, what is going on?" Sidney demands.

"It'll be easier to show you instead of just explaining it to you," Flower says seriously. Geno looks like he's about to say something when Sidney's sharp hearing picks up on the sound of a crying pup. Several crying pups, for that matter.

Geno must here it, too, because his eyes widen in surprise, and he is suddenly walking with purpose. Sidney catches up with him, and they walk side by side as they finally meet up with Duper, Tanger, and the rest of Duper's children near a smaller cave kind of like Sidney's favorite cave deeper in the woods. The crying is louder now, and Sidney can hear at least seven different little whimpers.

"Are those--" he begins to say but cuts himself off when one little pup stumbles over itself to exit the cave. It immediately looks up at Sid and yips pitifully at him. Sidney is frozen where he stands while Geno slowly squats down to get a closer look. Athena is pacing around in Sidney's mind excitedly at the sight of a pup and practically tries to take over when two more pups come out. They're clearly older than the first pup, and they hunch in on themselves with their ears down. Sidney sits down next to Geno and watches in shock as they all try to climb all over him and his mate.

Then the last four are clumsily trying to step over each other to get attention from the only two adult wolves in the group.

"Maeva and Alex found them while they were playing here in the woods," Tanger explains to a very dumbfounded Sidney and a clearly excited Geno. "They seem like they're healthy. The older ones here have clearly been hunting to stay alive, but I don't know how much longer they can last out here on their own."

"Where did you all even come from?" Sidney asks quietly.

_Taken._

Sidney looks around to see which pup said that and his eyes land on one of the oldest pups, who is directly lookin back at him.

"Can you shift back into your human form?" Sidney's voice is quiet when he talks and patiently waits while the young pup tries to shift back. Sidney takes off his cloak and quickly wraps it around the young boy as soon as he is human. The child mumbles his thanks and huddles himself further under the cloak. He can't be older than thirteen with dark brown hair and round, wide eyes.

"Where you from?" Geno asks. It's the first time Sidney has heard him talk all day, and he has really missed his mate's voice.

"Maine," the child says.

"What's your name?"

"Brian."

Brian explains to them that he was taken from his pack about six months ago by a crazed lone wolf, and he can't find his way home because he's lost his pack's scent. Sidney's heart drops.

"Have all of them been taken?" he hesitantly asks. Brian dejectedly sighs and nods as the smallest pup whimpers at him. Sidney can feel Geno's happiness and rage war with each other through their bond, and he tries to send happier thoughts to his mate. It works some but not to the extent that Sidney would like.

"We all come from different packs," Brian tells them. "The wolf who took us kept saying that he would find us a mother wolf to care for us, and we traveled for months with him. We stopped here a couple of months ago, just before the March moon, and we've been stuck here ever since. None of us can find our way back home."

"So you're lone wolves now," Sidney finishes for Brian. Brian's eyes look sad as he stares at his hands. That's enough of an answer for Sidney.

"We take care of you," Geno suddenly says.

Sidney whips his head to his mate. They have only just become mates, and now Geno wants to take in seven pups? They don't have the space in Sidney's cottage for that many pups, but Geno looks determined.

"Are you sure about this?" Sidney whispers.

"Only if you are okay with it, Sid," comes Geno's reply.

"Seven pups is a lot of work, Geno," Flower tells him. "And they all look very young."

"I can help take care of them," Brian insists. "I've been taking care of them for months already. I'll help clean and cook, anything you need me to do."

Suddenly, all eyes are on Sidney. He and Geno have been discussing having pups of their own one day but definitely not right now. But these pups need a home, a pack to call their own. They don't have anyone else.

Geno is looking hopeful at Sidney as he holds two wiggling pups close to his chest. Sidney's heart melts at the sight, and Athena strongly voices her wishes to keep the pups. Sidney takes a long, deep breath.

"We can make room," he finally says. Brian immediately jumps up to hug Sidney, who is taken by surprise by the young wolf's affection. Geno leans in and kisses Sidney's cheek.

"Best Alphas, you and me," he mumbles. "Now we have real pack."

Sidney looks around at all the pups, his friends, their children, and his mate and feels inexplicably happy for the first time in a very long time. He finally has everything he could ever want.

_Need pups of our own._

Sidney narrows his eyes at Geno.

_Like hell you're putting a pup in me right now._

Geno laughs out loud at Sidney's statement and continues to play with the pups. Sidney wants pups of his own one of these days, but he wants to care for these little ones first. They need him and Geno right now.

Sidney is more than a little excited to adjust to his new pack life.

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me on [Tumblr](eyeslikeonyx.tumblr.com) if you want :)


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